Kindred Spirit: Lynn Dell

My Idols: The Ladies of Advanced Style

I have always admired and aspired to be like crazy old ladies. I hope they won't be offended that I've used the world old, in fact I should say "vintage" because there's really nothing "old" about these ladies at all.

I love them for their sense of frivolity and abandon. It seems, from my limited life perspective of just a couple of decades, that somewhere between 20 and 80 you really find your voice and individuality. And somewhere, in that mix, you realize that what matters most when dealing with style is the representation of self. What matters, is the personal joy you get out of crafting your look, the creative enjoyment you experience when layering a look that screams you! and nobody else.

When you hit 80 you don't care if what you're wearing is right or current or passe... all that matters is whether or not your individual style, which took decades to perfect and polish, is oozing out of what you wear.

So, here I am, 22 years old, and I'd like to take my fashion ques from some crazy vintage ladies. Well, lucky for me, the blog "Advanced Style" is dedicated solely to these fabulous women and their style. I stumbled upon this blog earlier today and have been consumed by inspiration and happiness since. You'll have to take a peek at their work for yourself, but in the meantime here are some of my favorite findings.

This sassy lady made me laugh out loud:


Advanced Style Presents: Ilona Royce Smithkin from teenage peanut video productions on Vimeo.

Some other favorites:

I Want To Meet This Guy

The Man From Two Tribes - Teaser from Kevin Lee Brown on Vimeo.



Don't you?

For My Independent Ladies...

I found this gem of a video on PopSugar today and giggled out loud. This little lady is bossy and I couldn't love her more.




"I care if I do something that's special."

Friday's Favorite Things

1. Favorite giggle:




2. Favorite quote: "We are what we believe we are." - C.S. Lewis

3. Favorite pasttime: spending hours perusing each and every show from New York Fashion week (a post on my favorites to come next week).

4. Favorite image:

5. Favorite Video: our Hailee and Elle Fanning shot by Paola Kudaki for Vanity Fair. I love their high waisted jeans and goofiness.

I'll Be Seeing You: Bill Cunningham New York

I am dying to see this documentary on NY Times photographer Bill Cunningham. Any trailer that has me writing down quotes is one to get excited about.

It opens in LA on March 25th for one week only. Check here to see where it's playing near you.


Bill Cunningham New York Trailer from Gavin McWait on Vimeo.


"I'm not interested in celebrities with their free dresses. I'm interested in clothes."

Friday's Favorite Things.

As I sit here enjoying a glass of Syrah in pajamas and my grandma's angora sweater I thought I'd fill you in on five of my favorite things this week.

1. Favorite words to live by: "Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening." - Coco Chanel

2. Favorite eye candy: (the best moments occur when they get overly enthused.)

Boys of Milan & Paris FW2011 from Justin Wu on Vimeo.

3. Favorite bog: One of my fresher blog finds, 5 Inch and Up. The outfit below, which she styled this week for a Next competition, has elements I thought I'd hate (flowered pants and a sweater wrapped around the waist) yet I still think she looks completely awesome.

4. Favorite discovery: Eating popcorn and edamame for every meal= no dishes.

5. Favorite Picture:

Image via Vanity Fair

Kate Spade Does Adorable Things...

...like this new video I found via The Neo-Traditionalist.

"I will never love you more than DVD's night with my girlfriends, when we talk about stupid things like feelings and men."

"I will never love you more than singing in the shower."

Coachella Crush

This lovely lass Eliza Doolittle makes me smile. She's playing at Coachella. I want her fringe shorts and her friends...

Hey, I'm Not Going To Judge You...

1. If you always kind of think you're going to die when you fly.

"My wipers are so much faster than everyone else's! Crap."

2. If you've ever been self conscious of your windshield wiper speed level.

3. If you instantly crave mexican food when you hear mexican music.

4. If you've ever brought a magazine to a football game.

5. If you're frustrated by the amount of perfect, thoughtful, fiscally appropriate (ehh....) birthday gifts you find... for yourself.

6. If you've ever been given two sets of chopsticks with the chinese delivery you ordered for yourself.

7. If you always think about how hilarious it would be to write "sexual favors" on the what-this-check-is-for line of your checks.

8. If you've ever been saddened by the fact that Charlie Brown is a cartoon and not a real boy.

9. If you like potato skins and not potatoes.

10. If you've ever thought to yourself, "life would be so much better if I had the body of my shadow" (obviously disregarding the fact that you'd be 10 feet tall).

* One person thinks this post is funny:

Monday On My Mind

Listening to: (I listened to this song on repeat when driving to Palm Springs this weekend)



Craving: A good massage. 

Coveting: Laika Headpiece by Litter SF

On My To Do List:write thank you notes for christmas gifts (so tardy!); plan a weekend getaway; take advantage of current sunshine; find birthday gifts for my longtime best and my dad; contemplate life's complexities. 


Watching:

This Is Litter from Litter SF on Vimeo.


Reading:LA Times obituaries. I know this is a weird habit but I find them inspiring and often the most "ordinary" people have extraordinarily romantic stories. 

Inspired by: Littledoe Is Love Lookbook

On My Social Agenda:Bachelor viewing party tonight (team Emily); Blue Valentine movie date tomorrow night. 


Wondering:Why there ever got to be a right and wrong in fashion? It's relative and nothing but fun. 

A Little Something To Melt Your Heart

Could They Be Any Cuter?

Blue Valentine comes out December 31st. Anyone want to go with me?

On My Mind

Listening To: The Eagles + Christmas music = guaranteed ear pleasure. 



Craving: Chocolate, like woah. I want to do this:

 

Or this... 

But NOT this: 

Or this: 

Is there a special relationship between asians and chocolate I should know about?

Coveting: the perfect party dress... Rebecca Taylor Strapless Silk Bustier Dress.

On My To Do List: Continue tackling Christmas shopping (what's on your list?), advise my Grandma on her purchases for my cousins (they can thank me later), make holiday crowns for my family to wear Christmas day... my brothers are so excited, spray paint pine cones gold for tabletop setting (among other crafty tasks), find vintage fur at rose bowl flea market this Sunday.


Watching: This gorgeous video by Radiolab. It shows how certain images depict specific words in different incarnations. I like it a lot.



Reading: According to this article, people are naming their babies after "16 and Pregnant" characters. Obviously, a classy idea.


Inspired By: Marie Claire's Style & Accessories Director, Taylor Tomasi Hill photographed by Citizen Couture.

     

On My Social Agenda: Well, as mentioned last week I've become quite the football game attendee. I even watched the entire game last Friday (minus sporadic check-ins with my blackberry and the snack shack... and a few conversations with the middle school girls that hang out in the bathroom and take pictures of each other). So, the point is I'll be at yet another high school football game this week since they... keep... winning. This particular game will have my heart torn up with conflicted emotion- my high school is pitted against my brother's for the CIF title! I'm loosing sleep over it! I also might go to this. 

Wondering: What ever happened to the people that were on Room Raiders?